“It is never too late,” Manchester City started this season as the title-defenders and after all those big-money signings in the last couple of seasons, they were undoubtedly this season’s one of the title contenders too. After an expected smooth start of the season, Pep Guardiola’s team started to slip out, making it all easy for Liverpool. After a few bad results down the road, the Spanish tactician has certainly put his team back on track.
They are looking confident again as they have dramatically closed down the gap in between them and Liverpool in recent weeks, defeating two of the London giants Arsenal and Chelsea, 3-1 and 6-0 respectively. Regarding their current form in the league, the Manchester United legend and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has penned down an article, discussing the matters that are holding Manchester City back a bit at the moment and
how they can unshackle themselves from those as a team.
As a reviewer, I have broken down his article and reviewed his points…
The points that I agree on…
“The biggest risk for Man City is that…..off a bit go away,”
The man has got a point. Manchester City have one the best squads in the world and as a team, they are one the toughest opponents, no doubt about that. Things are not going all their way like they did last season. So, changes in their system were needed; they worked on it and figured it out. Now, their wins in recent time are bringing their confidence back.
According to Neville, their confidence may turn into overconfidence causing them to slip up at the very final stage of the season. They have to be totally focused and have to do the right things until the end.
“When we [Manchester United] were winning…. you can not catch up. That is a really good point! Sometimes one just needs to let the things flow at their own pace.”
After a mind-blowing last season, they may find this stage of the season boring. As the season progress, they will surely take things more seriously. After all, they have someone like Pep Guardiola who knows how to manage his team and lead to them to glories.
“I woke up this morning to people….. I do not think they will. Tottenham have improved massively under Mauricio Pochettino. Mauricio Pochettino have formed a great squad but to be honest, they do not have what it takes!”
Yes, they do have consistent performers like Christian Eriksen, Harry Kane; great talents like Son, Lucas Moura, Dele Alli; but for some reason they just cannot keep it intense till the end, maybe because they do not have a fantastic squad depth like the two main contenders or maybe because they always get hit by bad luck!
In past a few of seasons, they had been a headache for the title champions, but they themselves never champions. In this season also, there was a time, when everybody thought they would challenge Liverpool and Manchester City….but the story remained the same for them. The only point that I do not agree on…”
“They are having these periods…..a bit of encouragement. I believe every team slip out, at least for a moment, in every game. It is good to see that Neville has praised City’s quality on and off the pitch but some sloppy moments in a match is allowed; after all its Premier League, you all!”